Lies, Deceit, and a Psalm

David was on the run from Saul, who sought to kill him. His journeys took him to Ahimelek, a priest. When Ahimelek asked why he was alone, David lied and said he was on a secret mission from the king, Saul. The priest believed and gave him food and Goliath’s sword. Then David ran to the neighboring king Achich’s palace. To David’s dismay, the king’s attendants recognized him. Fearing the king would kill him, David pretended to be insane with hand gestures, scribbling on walls, and letting saliva run down his beard. Achich didn’t harm him. At that time, David sang Psalm 34.

I will extol the Lord all the days of my life; his praise will be on my lips always.

This poor man called, and the Lord answered; he saved him from all his troubles.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the person who takes refuge in him.

Whoever loves life and desires good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it (v. 1, 6, 8, 12–13)

Since David had just lied to a priest and a king to escape death, scholars think this was David’s prayer of repentance. People didn’t have to lie and cheat for God to rescue them. Others weren’t to follow David’s ways. Instead, they should wait and see how God delivered them from their difficulties.

David’s descendant, Jesus, did just that. People rejected him, but he didn’t resort to trickery. He waited for the Lord to deliver him. Peter wanted to affirm that his Hebrew audiences were doing the same.

“Just as you’ve tasted and seen that the Lord is good and have come to the living stone – whom people rejected, but God accepted as select and precious – you, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, as a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices, which are pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet 2:3–5)

Peter’s Hebrew audiences were going through extreme persecution at the time he was addressing them. Yet, unlike David, they didn’t resort to trickery but tasted the goodness of the Lord and came to Jesus Christ, the living cornerstone. Soon the temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed, along with the priesthood in Jerusalem. But they didn’t have to fear because they were a part of God’s true spiritual house, the temple. And they were the new priesthood who offered spiritual sacrifices that pleased God.

These words would have greatly comforted those in exile who heard of the war between the Hebrews in Judea against the Romans who wanted to destroy Jerusalem and the temple. Even if the Romans were to succeed, God’s true temple, built on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ, would stand. In fact, it was “being built” daily as God added living stones one by one to that colossal structure. Once, the priesthood was limited to the tribe of Levi, but now it was extended to any of them who drew near to Jesus Christ.

These words also apply to us, the Gentiles. We are a part of the living temple of God (1 Cor 3:16–17) and have been challenged to offer living and acceptable sacrifices to God (Rom 12:1–2). Instead of resorting to lies and trickery, we serve God faithfully.